In an effort to reduce deaths and injuries, the Santa Monica Police Department will be conducting a specialized motorcycle safety enforcement operation Sunday, July 19, between the hours of 6 a.m. and 4 p.m. Extra traffic officers will be on duty patrolling areas frequented by motorcyclists and where motorcycle collisions are prevalent.... Read more →

The City Council has voted to support state legislation to regulate vacation rentals like Airbnb. Mayor Kevin McKeown, Mayor Pro Tempore Tony Vazquez and Councilmember Gleam Davis asked that Council support Senate Bill 593 at their July 14 meeting. The bill is sponsored by State Senator Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg), who represents... Read more →

Despite a variety of potential fiscal and legal obstacles, splitting the Santa Monica-Malibu school district into two separate entities is feasible, according to the district’s financial oversight committee. The committee did not analyze all criteria associated with dividing school districts and was not asked to determine... Read more →

This Saturday the West L.A. chapter of the Surfrider Foundation is hosting a cleanup of Santa Monica's most polluted beach as part of the Barefoot Beach Rescue Project. The project, a partnership between the Surfrider Foundation and Barefoot Wine, is designed to increase the size and effectiveness of Surfrider's existing beach cleanups. It... Read more →

On July 5 at approximately 1 a.m., a suspect began knocking on the front door of a residence in the 900 block of 20th Street and telling the homeowner to call 911. When Santa Monica police officers arrived, they detained the suspect outside the residence and asked him what was going on. The suspect told the officers he was being... Read more →

The Santa Monica Police Department is seeking the public's help with two violent crime investigations. Both incidents occurred on July 14, and witnesses of either crime are encouraged to contact SMPD. During the early morning hours of July 14 officers responded to a call for a possible assault on the 900 block of Olympic... Read more →

A woman threatening to have a bomb triggered road closures and evacuations in Downtown Santa Monica on Thursday morning. Officers from the Santa Monica Police Department and Los Angeles Sheriff’s office said a woman drove up to a business on the 1500 block of Ocean Ave and announced she had a bomb in the car. Santa Monica Police... Read more →

Lobbyists will eventually have to register with City Hall, but exactly who is a lobbyist, what lobbying is and who is responsible for reporting violations remain unclear. The City Council heard a first draft of a lobbying ordinance at their July 14 meeting and while councilmembers praised the concept of the proposed law, there were... Read more →

The City of Santa Monica has settled a lawsuit with resident Elizabeth Riel over a disputed job offer. At its July 14 meeting, City Council approved a $710,000 settlement. “The Riel case would be settled without an admission of liability by the city for a payment in the amount of $710,000. All parties would be released from any... Read more →

On July 7 at approximately 5:45 a.m., Santa Monica police officers responded to a radio call regarding a burglary at a restaurant located on the Santa Monica Pier. Upon arrival, officers were directed to the kitchen where they encountered two males arguing with another male, later identified as the manager. A witness said he saw the... Read more →

The City of Santa Monica was highlighted in a new policy agenda from Next Century Cities as a model of how best to develop a high-quality broadband network. “Connecting 21st Century Communities: A Policy Agenda for Broadband Stakeholders” cites the City of Santa Monica as an example of a city whose taken charge of its internal needs by... Read more →

The Santa Monica Police Department will step up bike and pedestrian safety enforcement operations during the month of July, with focused enforcement on primary collision factors involving motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists. The police department identifies locations where pedestrian and bike collisions are prevalent, along with the... Read more →

Separation of the area school district into Santa Monica and Malibu factions seems to be turning into a "not if, but when" issue. At its meeting Wednesday night, the local Board of Education will hear reports from the district's Financial Oversight Committee on the fiscal ramifications of potentially splitting the Santa... Read more →

Los Angeles police shot a knife-wielding man outside a Rose Avenue coffee shop on July 13. According to a statement by the Los Angeles Police Department, officers responded to a radio call for a "disorderly suspect armed with a knife" in the 600 block of Rose Avenue at about 2 p.m. LAPD said the call indicated that the suspect... Read more →